(NewsNation) — Tennessee voters will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in several important races.
Presidential race in Tennesee
Former President Donald Trump is projected to win Tennessee.
US Senate race in Tennesee
Sen. Marsha Blackburn is projected to retain her Senate seat.
Tennessee’s first female U.S. senator is seeking a second term. Republican incumbent Marsha Blackburn, first elected in 2018, will defend her seat against her Democratic opponent, state Rep. Gloria Johnson.
The last time a Democrat won this seat was in 1988.
Blackburn has long been a top Republican ally of former President Donald Trump, earning his endorsement and helping craft the GOP’s policy platform for him this year.
Previously, Blackburn was a U.S. representative from Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District for 16 years. Before election to Congress, she served as a member of the Tennessee State Senate for four years.
Blackburn’s challenger, Johnson, started her political career on the state level,\ too. Johnson has served in the Tennessee House of Representatives District 90 since 2022, and before that, she represented Tennessee’s 13th District since 2018. Previously chair of the Knox County Democratic Party, Johnson is simultaneously running for U.S. Senate and reelection to the state House.
Johnson gained recognition last year after she and two other state representatives began chanting with a bullhorn on the state House floor in solidarity with nearby protesters who were calling for gun control legislation. Dubbed the “Tennessee Three,” they later faced expulsion hearings. Johnson, who is white, was spared, while her fellow Democrats, who are Black, were expelled.
Three independent candidates also qualify for the ballot for U.S. Senate: Tharon Chandler, a farmer; Pamela Moses, a justice and equality activist; and Hastina Robinson, an EMT.
US House races in Tennessee
All nine U.S. House seats from Tennessee are open with Republican incumbents running in eight of the districts. The solo Democratic incumbent is Rep. Steve Cohen in the 9th Congressional District, facing Republican opponent Charlotte Bergmann.
One House candidate was the subject of an FBI investigation. Rep. Andy Ogles, who seeks reelection to the 5th Congressional District, had discrepancies on his campaign financial disclosures, resulting in the FBI’s seizure of his phone. The representative amended his financial disclosures last month to reflect a $700,000 line of credit, a Tennessee news outlet reported.
There are no statewide ballot measures to vote on, but voters may see some initiatives locally. In Shelby County, where Memphis is located, ballots will ask voters whether they support firearm regulations, including prohibiting carrying a handgun without a valid handgun carry permit and prohibiting the commercial sale of assault rifles except to law enforcement, military and other government agencies.
On Tuesday, 468 seats in the U.S. Congress (33 Senate seats and all 435 House seats) are up for grabs. These elections will determine who has control over the two chambers of Congress, and ultimately, who sets the agenda for the next president’s term.
Tennessee, a red state, will have 11 Electoral College votes in the presidential race. The presidential election winner must earn 270 Electoral College votes to assume office.
Early voting in Tennessee started Oct. 16 and ran through Oct. 31. All polls for in-person voting on Election Day run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
